Dale Earnhardt Jr. circles why Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is over-performing and why Carson Hocevar really hurt him

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been over-performing a bit in 2025, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been impressed with the veteran wheelman. Heading into this past weekend’s race in Nashville, the former Daytona 500 champion was in the playoffs on points, but that all changed when Carson Hocevar spun him during the Cracker Barrel 400.

While Earnhardt Jr. appreciates Hocevar’s talent and aggressiveness, he was a bit disappointed at what transpired at Stenhouse Jr.’s expense. On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download, the NASCAR Hall of Famer went into detail about how the Hyak Motorsports wheelman was dished a major setback this past Sunday.

“I don’t know who was wrong about that thing down in Turn Three between Ricky and Carson, but I do know that Carson had time to save Ricky’s ass there and not wreck him,” Earnhardt Jr. stated. “The other thing too is, Ricky’s performance this year — in terms of how he compares to the rest of the field in speed, pit crew, passing, defense, all those things — he’s way down the list. Way down the list, but his finishes are good compared to that. So, Ricky is doing a lot with a lot less.

“It’s a one-car team. I don’t know what their association or alliance might be with any other programs that actually benefits them and how they benefit from that, but look, I do know this — the car finishes better than it should. Ricky has maximized, basically almost every race this year, to put himself above the cut-line going into Nashville. I mean, this guy’s got a legit shot at making the playoffs on points with a team that should not be there. He should be 25th in points with no shot at making the playoffs, but here he was, coming in ahead of the cut-line.

“If you like an underdog story, that’s a perfect one for you. He goes into this race and he’s out there, and maybe the reason why he’s having this type of a year is because he crowds guys on the entry to three or whatever, right? If you want to look at it that way. Well, he crowded the wrong guy. We know how Carson Hocevar is going to handle that, and that’s what happened.”

While Earnhardt Jr. appreciates what Stenhouse Jr. has done in 2025, he also realizes it’s not Hocevar’s job to ensure the 37-year old stays clean. He’s battling the Memphis native for a playoff spot at the moment, and to the Spire Motorsports wheelman? Well, he’s just one more driver he needed to pass.

“I hated to see Ricky (wreck). I’m a broadcaster, I need that storyline. That story about Ricky being that underdog team that’s succeeding, that’s up there above the bubble-line? I need that,” Earnhardt Jr. added. “I like that as a fan, to have some kind of an underdog story, among others, to talk about. Now that’s gone. Now, he’s below the cut-line, and his odds of making it are much more difficult. So, that’s kind of how I felt about that.

“Like, man, Carson — but, you know, Carson is also one of those drivers around that cut-line that doesn’t care that Ricky Stenhouse lost a ton of points there. That’s one more guy — that’s one more guy he’s trying to beat into that playoff position.”

The rivalry between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar is just getting started, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have a keen eye on the situation as it bubbles over all summer long. Payback seems to be on the horizon, but when and where is the question.